Cataratas del Iguazú Airport (IGR) sits in the forest well outside Puerto Iguazú, on the same side of town as the entrance to the national park. There is nothing but road between the terminal and the town centre, so every arrival needs a vehicle of some kind. This guide sets out the usual choices and how to pick one.
Start with where you are staying
Iguazú has three quite different areas, and the right transport depends on which is yours:
- Puerto Iguazú town centre. Hotels, hostels and restaurants within walking distance of each other.
- Jungle lodges and roadside hotels between the town and the park. Some are reached by dirt tracks.
- The Brazilian side, in Foz do Iguaçu, across the Tancredo Neves Bridge.
Ways to leave the terminal
- Taxi and remis. A remis is a car with a driver booked at a desk for a fare agreed in advance. Both are found at the terminal. Ask the fare before you get in.
- Shared shuttle van. A service that drops passengers at their hotels has operated at this airport. Check on arrival whether it is running and whether it serves your accommodation. It waits to fill up and makes several stops.
- Ride-hailing apps. Check on arrival whether any app works in the area and picks up at the airport.
- Public bus. Do not rely on one until the information desk confirms it.
- Hire car. There are rental desks in the terminal. If you plan to drive into Brazil, ask the company whether that is allowed.
- Private transfer. One vehicle for your group only, with the driver waiting in arrivals holding a sign with your name.
Things to plan for
- Night arrivals. Fewer options wait at the terminal, and the road runs through unlit forest.
- Rain. The climate is subtropical and heavy showers are common. A dirt access road to a lodge can become difficult.
- Straight from the plane to the falls. The park is on the same side as the airport, so some travellers go directly. Decide beforehand what happens to your bags.
- Season. Demand rises in the winter school holidays, in Easter week and on long weekends, and waits at the terminal grow.
If you are sleeping in Brazil
The trip then includes a border: exit control from Argentina and entry control into Brazil. Queues vary by day and season. Every passenger needs their own valid travel document, and which one is accepted depends on nationality, so check with the official migration authority of each country before you travel. Our guide to the Tancredo Neves Bridge explains the steps.
Where a private transfer fits
It suits families with children, travellers with a lot of luggage, groups and late flights. We follow the flight by its number, and the price is per vehicle and agreed before the trip. Availability in Iguazú, and of the crossing into Brazil where relevant, is confirmed when you book.